Cromwell Page #5

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And where, in God's name,

is Manchester?

My Lord Manchester will rue the day

he has not joined us here.

And now to your positions.

These tactics we have practiced

these past six months...

...now let us put them to the test.

For upon this field of Naseby,

we'll turn the tide of this unhappy war.

God be with you all.

Is this wise, Oliver?

We're heavily outnumbered.

Was not Gideon outnumbered

by the Amalekites?

It is not numbers that count,

but speed and surprise.

Let no man move, except upon

the word of his commander!

Though we be outnumbered,

we shall win this battle!

I promise you!

So now put your faith in God

and keep your powder dry.

Halt!

Attack order. Double line abreast.

- Forward.

- Forward!

The man must be mad.

Prepare to attack.

Prepare to attack!

Our swords are in God's hand.

And our faith is in the Lord.

Charge!

Fire!

Forward!

Cromwell!

Regroup! Regroup!

After them!

Advance!

To the rear!

Forward!

Come on, lads!

At the gallop!

Your Majesty, may I suggest

that we withdraw?

No.

Who goes there?

Captain Cromwell, 3rd Cavalry.

Richard.

Thanks be to God.

Where is Oliver?

The outrageous incompetence

and inefficiency...

...of the high command

have tried my patience...

...and that of my hard-pressed army

long enough.

By my faith, I swear it would be better

that those gallant generals...

...Essex and Manchester,

took up swords with the king.

For then might we be

assured of victory.

For by their reluctance to pursue

this war with the intensity it demands...

...they have proved treacherous

both to our cause and to this nation.

Hear, hear.

If we beat the king 99 times...

...he will still be our king

and we his subjects.

If he beats us but once,

we shall all be hanged.

If that is so, then why

in the bowels of Christ...

...did we take up arms against him

in the first place?

Gentlemen...

...honest men

have served us faithfully...

...and many have died...

...that this House may sit in freedom

and this nation live in liberty.

In the name of God, I beseech you...

...do not desert them now.

Unless Parliament supports

this war to the full...

...I am bound to say, in all conscience,

that I will lay down my sword...

...and let this House

make its peace with the king...

...be that peace ever so base.

Then, it is for this House to decide.

I move that this House demands...

...the immediate resignation

of the high command...

...on the grounds that they be

no longer competent...

...to command the armed forces

of this Parliament.

Order. Order. Order!

The motion has been proposed.

Let it now be put to question.

- Those against Cromwell's motion.

- No!

- Those in favour of the motion.

- Aye!

The ayes have it.

The motion be carried.

I move...

I move that Colonel Cromwell

be appointed...

...commander in chief of the army.

Yeah!

Bristol. We must dispatch aid

to Bristol with all possible speed...

...for as long as Rupert holds Bristol,

this war be not lost.

General Digby, if you can detach

your forces in this area...

...and approach Bristol from the east...

To do that, my lord, would be

to expose this city to immediate attack.

Then we move

the Marquis of Huntly's army south.

The marquis, my lord, surrendered

to Cromwell's forces yesterday.

Cromwell. I hear nothing

but Cromwell, Cromwell.

My lord, it is but a game we play here...

...a game with wooden armies

and paper flags.

'Tis but a block of wood

you hold in your hand.

- My lords, all I ask for is a little time.

- Time, my lord, costs us heavily.

If we can hold on here

in Oxford for six weeks...

...the Scots have promised an army

of 20,000 men.

Her Majesty is in communication

with my cousin, the king of France...

...and I have good reason to hope

for support from Ireland.

An army from Ireland, Your Majesty?

I would as soon join forces

with Cromwell himself...

...as take up arms with the Catholics!

I am the king and defender

of my people...

...and I maintain the right to seek

relief from no matter what quarter.

As king, it is your duty

to defend the faith of this nation.

I do what I think to be right.

- Catholics as allies!

- It is unthinkable!

My God, if it has come to this...

...let us rather sue for an honourable

peace than fight a dishonourable war.

I will not countenance defeat.

Rather than abandon

my kingdom to Parliament...

...I would come to terms

with the devil himself.

Since you came

to the throne, Your Majesty...

...your armies have persistently

persecuted our Church in Ireland.

And yet, now that your need is great,

you turn to us for help.

The king's actions in Ireland,

Your Excellency...

...will seem as nothing should

these Puritans come to power.

It is not only the Crown of England

that is in peril, Excellency...

...all institutions of established order...

...throughout the countries

of Europe are threatened.

An Irish army of 20,000 men,

even 15,000...

...would forestall such a threat...

...and bring this wretched war

to a speedy end.

I am instructed to say

that His Holiness...

...would permit an Irish force

to take up arms in this country.

But there are certain conditions.

First, the Catholic Church in Ireland

must be completely restored...

...and permitted to practice freely

without interference or oppression.

Secondly, all Protestant churches

in Ireland must be closed...

...and all Protestant bishops

and ministers removed from office.

Oh, there are one or two other

minor conditions of little consequence.

What you demand, Excellency,

would be a betrayal...

...of my coronation oath

as head of the English Church.

You have a duty, Charles, to the Crown.

For without that,

you will be head of nothing!

May I tell His Holiness

that you will agree to these conditions?

You have something to say,

Sir Edward?

His Highness Prince Rupert

attends in the council chamber.

- Rupert? Here in Oxford?

- Yes, my lord.

I fear Bristol has fallen.

- Your Excellency will excuse me.

- Your Majesty.

My lords, His Majesty.

Do you not rise, sir,

when your king approaches?

Rise, sir! Or to your knees in shame.

You did give me

your most solemn promise...

...that you would hold Bristol

for four months.

You have not held it for four weeks!

You promised mountains,

yet you perform molehills.

You make a knave of your king.

My lord...

...we were besieged on all sides.

Our men were foot-weary from battle,

ailing with plague and sickness.

Yet you contrived

to escape with your life.

I have brought you an army, my lord.

An army 2000 strong, ready

and willing to fight on for their king!

In exchange for all the corn and stores

you held in Bristol and 200 cannon.

- That was the price of your freedom.

- I did what I considered to be right!

You deserted your command, sir.

I made a military decision.

A decision that may have

cost us this war.

Your action in this matter

is of such affliction to me, sir...

...that it is the greatest trial

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